This chapter is from the book

Specifying a Default or "Home" Page

Most servers have a system for recognizing a default page in each folder,
based on the name of the file. So, when your visitors type a URL with a
directory but no specific file, the default file is used.

To specify a default or "home" page:

First, ask your ISP how such a default page should be named. On most
servers, use index.html. (Microsoft servers generally use
default.htm.)

Figure
2.13 Save the file with the special default name: either index.html or
default.htm, depending on your server. Note that this is BBEdit's Save box
(on Mac OS X), but it doesn't matter which program you use to save the
files.

Next, when you save your file (see page 50), use the proper
name.

Figure
2.14 When the visitor types the path to the directory, but omits the file
name itself, the file with the default name is used.

Tips

You can create a default page for any and every directory on your
site.

The default page that you create at the top level of your Web directory
is your site's home page, the one that will appear when your
visitors type your domain with no additional path information: http://www.yourdomain.com

If you don't have such a default page in each directory, most
servers will show a list of the directory's contents (which you may or may
not want to reveal to your visitors). To keep those prying eyes out, create a
default page for every directory on your site.